The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-12-24
A REPUBLICAN VIEW OF MR..
BLAINE'S IDEAS.

The Washington Star prints a special
dispatch from Columbus, Ohio, an i'll
terview with Gen. John Beatty, 8
prominent Ohio republican leader, who,
it appears, disagrees strongly with Mr..
Blaine's recent 'Don't-you-touch-the-
tariff" cable. The Star correspondent
says
Gen. John Beatty, one of the most
prominent candidates before the re-
publican state convention two years
ago for nomination for governor OF
Ohio, and one of the strongest and
ablest supporters of Senator Sherman
in the state, has his own views as to
President Cleveland's message and MIR.
Blaine's interview.
What he says is oil the more inter-
esting because the general, III 1851
was one of the organizers of the Blaine
movement in this state. Meeting him,
your correspondent asked ii he had
read Blaine's interview on the mes
sage.
"Yes, | read it," was The answer,
ssand [ didn't think much OF it-at
least | did not look upon it as a mas
terpiece of political literature. There
is nothing new in it, and, TO tell the
whole truth, it is only a rehash of his
letter of acceptance and other address,
es which he has made to his party and
the public"
"What do you think of the position
he takes"
s.My opinion is that if Mr.. Blaine or
any other leading man makes a leading
issue of a protective tariff just now he
will make . great mistake"
care you not q protectlonlstfD
"'The principle Of protection | most
! firmly believe in. l do not believe
that any reasonable mani do not be-
lieve that President Cleveland himself
| will DENY the correctness of the prlncI'
pie OF protection as it is generally looked
upon. But the tariff has furnished a
cover for a thousand and one frauds
which ought to be done away with,
For that reason, and for that alone, ]
believe that a revision of the tariff Ii
very desirable. But it is a most com
plicated subject and requires the mos
careful handling"
"What do you mean by a thousand
and one frauds?'
"Well, there are a great many artI-
Giles which can be manufactured and
sold just as cheap here as they can be
produced in Europe and shipped to
this country. Ii the industries IL
which these articles are produced were
untrammeled-were allowed TO move
on according to the natural laws o
trade-it would make but little differ.
ence whether the tariff protecting them
were low or high, so that it succeeded
in protecting them.
ssBut the laws of trade are not per-
mitted to have their natural effect
and the prices are not allowed to droI
through free competition to a norma
figure. The manufacturers hold annua
conventions and form pools to keep the
prices up t o the highest figure below
that at which foreign manufacturers
can sell after paying the tariff. ihs
members of the pools are bound by
contract, under heavy fines, not TO sci
below the price fixed by the conven
lions, and the people are compelled tt
paw what is asked. This is robbery
Understand me, the retailers and Othel
middlemen will cut under each othel
and there will be a lively competition
| there, but among the manufacturer;
there Ia but one price. There are
many such instances that we know of
"Why, this Chamberlain, who has
been sent here by the English govern
ment in the fisheries dispute, was a
lone time interested in the manufacture
OF screws, and the American manufac
turers paid him $1,000 . not to imporI
screws into this country and to leave
them a market in which there was nc
competition. For a time the American
manufacturers had it all their owl
way, but | believe that ultimately the
English screws found their way into
the United States"
"Do you think, general, that Blaine
is then too weak TO get the nomina
tion2"
eff he wants the nomination bt
can have it, l think, beyond a ques'
tion."
"What do you think of the whisk,
and tobacco taxes?"
"Well, if we must have taxes. whis
ky and tobacco seem TO me the propeI
articles for taxation. But as long a.
the government is getting all the money
it needs | cannot, for the life of me
see the wisdom of gathering more.
Blaine's scheme to distribute it among
the states seems to me foolish. W.
dent need q surplus, and | must con
TESS that it seems very plain to me tina
the proper place for this money, ate
the expenses of government are paid
is in the pockets of the men who earn it.
MIR. Beatty is a native of Ohio, hav
ing been born in Sandusky, in 1928
He was a presidential ~elector in 1860
During the wal he was promoted from
the rank of captain te that of Brigade
general and commanded the division
which began the fighting at Chicka'
manga. He served in the Fortieth ant
IfOrty-first congresses, and was a mem
Der Of the committee on invalid
pensions, and chairman OF the commit
tee OIL public grounds under Speake
Blaine.